Beyond Corruption
by Rjklimklowitz
Summary: While being the head of the Shinra Army, Sephiroth seeks to become more. He wants to rid of the president and discontinue the use of Mako energy; however, he has his own manipulating ambitions. aerzac. eventually Aerseph.
1. Dark Memories

**Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII. That includes Sephiroth, Zack, Shinra, Midgar, Strife and whoever else I missed.**

1. Dark Memories

A platoon of SOLDIERS raced through the gloomy lower plates of Midgar. They had just achieved the rank of 1st class and were already shaping up for battle. Leading these SOLDIERS was the Great General Sephiroth and his second in command, Lieutenant General Zackary Ames. Already, Sephiroth made them race through all the upper plates with nothing short of a 5 minute break. Some of the SOLDIERS passed out along the way, but he didn't care. If they couldn't handle a little running, then they most likely couldn't handle the Army under his command.

"General, Sir! Hey!" Zack tried in vain to get his attention, but when Sephiroth was running, the only thing he heard was his boots tapping against the pavement, and nothing more. Zack didn't care that his attempts were futile. He was stubborn that way. "GENERAL SEPHIROTH!" He couldn't address him incorrectly in front of the platoons, it was tacky. But he still wasn't getting a reply.

He could always give the name thing a try.

"SEEEEEPHHYYYYY!" he howled at him.

Sephiroth stopped so suddenly Zack slammed right into his back, followed by SOLIDERS slamming into his.

"Ugh." Zack composed himself and looked up at the General. His eyes were glowing intensely, and slightly twitching, and anyone could tell by the look on his face to run or suffer consequences. Zack was a bit dense that way. The SOLDIERS at the head of the platoon backed up a little while Zack stood tall and stared at Sephiroth.

"If you address me incorrectly again, Lieutenant, I will murder you right in front of the platoon. I have no time to deal with your needs, Ames."

"I know, Sir, I just wanted you to stop for a little while. We've been running all day and you haven't given us a break...These SOLDIERS just made the rank! You know how hard doing THAT is! Give 'em a little break now and then." He looked back at the platoon a winked at them. Some acknowledged him with a nod, some were too afraid of Sephiroth to move a muscle, and others were too tired to care.

Sephiroth sighed and looked over the platoon. Their faces were red and drenched in sweat. Some of them were slouched over with their hands on their knees panting, trying to force breath that painfully escaped out their mouth from their tired lungs. Sephiroth was barely breaking a sweat; then again that's what hours of running a day, plus mako injections did. Zack had similar injections when he joined SOLDIER, but even he was drowning in his sweat. He also didn't have to suffer from injections as a small child. The amount they were giving Zack was the amount Sephiroth got when he was a child.

He decided to give them the benefit of the doubt, even if he did think their stamina was pitiful. They didn't have but one shot of mako since they made the rank, so they were still fairly weak for his harsh training.

'_I hate new recruits. They are pitifully weak!'_ He mused before making his decision.

"Okay. I will give you an hour to recover. _'Too long entirely, but these weaklings will probably need it.' _After that duration of time, you will meet Lieutenant Ames back here and he will guide you to your new barracks. But do not get lazy. You will be doing weapon training tomorrow, so if I were you, I would know which weapon you handle with ease and practice."

He walked around the platoon, observing the men, "You. What is your name?"

"CLOUD STRIFE, SIR!" He looked forward and stood tall. His posture was perfect even if he was extremely short.

"You have potential that is beyond most of these cadets; however, you will not befriend any of them." Cloud didn't think Sephiroth noticed him talking to Zack. He always had his back turned whenever they joked around.

'_probably one of them guys with eyes in the back of his head...'_ "YES, SIR!"

He stood tall with his hands behind his back looking them over one last time. He loved seeing the fear in their eyes. Keeping them in suspense was amusing to him, even if he didn't show it.

"Move out." He turned and walked the opposite direction, determined not to have anyone bother him. He needed time to improvise his plans.

"Hey Seph!? Why are you leaving the platoon with me? I thought you had them for the day." Zach matched his pace, but as he did, Sephiroth quickened his.

"Go away Ames. I do not feel like answering your questions." He strode on, the distances in his steps steadily increasing.

"Wait!" Zack was practically running now. He could walk unbelievably fast. "You are just going to let them do whatever they want for an hour? That is very unlike you. You must have SOMETHING on your mind. Gotta girlfriend you aren't telling me about!? Hmm?"

"AMES! I SWEAR ON MY MASAMUNE YOU WILL DIE IF YOU KEEP PESTERING ME!" It took a moment for him to register that last part. A girlfriend? "WHAT?! I HAVE NO TIME FOR SUCH....THINGS. They are nothing but trouble and entirely too expensive."

Nah... I think that depends on the girl... they can actually do the soul good. My girlfriend lives here in the Slums. I have not once spent one gil on her. I actually think she's a keeper."

Sephiroth couldn't believe what he was hearing. Zach was the most womanizing man he had ever met. It was ridiculous how woman crazy he was.

"You expect me to believe that!? Zack, the womanizer has a steady girlfriend he is thinking about settling down with? Hah."

He heard Sephiroth chuckle. It angered him a little that he didn't believe him. Like Sephiroth even knew about relationships. The whole 4 years he had known Sephiroth (since he was 17 and Sephiroth was 20) he had never seen Sephiroth take the time to get to know a girl past one-night stands. They didn't happen very often but he always had excuses. His excuses were always 'I am too busy.' 'They are useless and waste my time.' 'All they want is money and sex...' But that was all he gave them. He never bothered himself to further explore.

"Like you know. Maybe if you weren't such an obstinate, vicious bastard, you'd understand what I mean." Sometimes Zack didn't understand why he even bothered with him. The wall of his hardheadedness was thick and unbreakable.

Sephiroth put a halt to his speed walking and took Zack around the neck his is leather-covered hands almost in the speed of light. His voice was deathly venomous and his vice grip was extremely tight. "You are really trying my patience Ames. If I hear one more word from you, I will impale you on my blade. Got it?"

When Zack didn't talk, Sephiroth released him and jogged away, leaving him standing there with his hands rubbing his neck.

Why did he let Zack talk to him this way? Anyone else brave enough would have suffered a sword through the heart, but there was truth in his words. He'd never admit it, but he _was_ vicious. He loved seeing people suffer from their mistakes. He used to have sympathetic emotions run within him, but they were steadily deteriorating with each Mako infusion.

He never remembered growing up anywhere other than in Shinra headquarters. He remembered an evil looking professor which he knew as Hojo injecting him with mako while the president stood to the side rubbing is hands together as if in sweet oblivion. He recalled the pain he experienced from each injection. The intense migraines, the nausea, the burning in his body, how his eyes became so red they looked as if they were bleeding...The tears he shed... He later found out by Hojo that it was the president's orders.

He closed his eyes and kept running. He tried to push all thoughts out of his mind and focus of the feeling of wind pushing his hair back. He didn't care if he ran off the side of the universe, anything was better than thinking about his memories. But he just couldn't get rid of them. They constantly haunted him; repeating like a broken record.

Hojo mentioned the possibility of super human power by Mako enhanced blood. He already secretly planned to do this experiment on his unborn child, but the president immediately agreed to fund the experiment if he would inject all his SOLDIERS with Mako if the experiment proved to be a success. This made it a whole lot easier on Hojo.

Sephiroth was the unborn child the experiment revolved around. His mother was killed from the mako, but by the time he was born, he had become immune to the amount they had given him in the womb. Each year of his life, he was treated as a specimen. The only people who talked to him was Professor Hojo, and occasionally the president. People who gave him food didn't bother themselves to socialize with the growing boy. They treated him as if he were some animal incapable of emotion. At that time, his emotions were not lost. He would cry and wonder why people wouldn't even take the time to play with him, or even talk to him. He was just as human as everybody else, he thought. He looked from the window of his room and saw the other children his size playing with one another, while their parents sat back and smiled at them. What did he do to deserve this? Was he even like them?

What really made him reconsider is thoughts about being 'normal' was when the President walked up with his son, Rufus. Sephiroth sat there and looked at the little boy. He was the same height as him, looked about the same age as him, but his left hand was clasped in his father's. He immediately envied him.

Rufus had asked his father why he was in there. The president looked down upon Sephiroth and told his son that _this_ was a super human specimen.

"_Why does he have to be locked away in a room? I thought people were good." _

"_Heh. Son. You'll understand one day. He is very dangerous. You know General Austin?"_

"_You mean the powerful old guy who yells at the SOLIDERS?" Rufus looked up at his father with an innocent expression. All children have innocent faces, no matter how corrupt their creators are..._

"_Yes." He looked down at Rufus and gave him a sickening smile. Sephiroth looked away. He thought the president liked him, but he was just paying attention to him to make sure everything went according to plan._

"_What about him, daddy?" Rufus looked at Sephiroth, who now sitting with his knees up to his chest, having his head down in his arms._

"_This boy has the strength of Austin, if not more. If he escaped, we could all be in danger. A strong child like thats curiosity could easily destroy precious things. We don't want that."_

_Rufus looked again at the boy. All he could see was the silver hair flowing down covering any hint of sadness, but Sephiroth was silently sobbing._

"_Oh. Will he ever come out?"_

"_Oh yes. He will. But he will not be a normal being. He will be trained to take charge of his dangerous abilities and use them for me. For us." He had laughter with a tinge of ambition in it, but Rufus took it for something funny. "Come along Rufus." _

"_yes Daddy."_

_The little boy in the room wiped his eyes and got into the white sheeted bed and let sleep claim him._

While he was running through the scrap metal and trash of the slums, He opened his eyes to find everything in his surroundings blurred into like colors. Grays, blacks, browns, yellow from artificial lighting all sped past him. It would change. He would see to it. President Shinra's days were numbered. Mako energy would serve no more purpose to humans when he got done. Shinra would meet his fate at the end of Sephiroth's sword and things would go _HIS_ way.

A/N: This is an AU fic. I know where I am going in this one, so it'll be updated as soon as I get time. There is no Jenova character. The only part Jenova plays in this story is enhancing Seph's abilities. This could become a romance if things happen accordingly. Oh yes, and I researched that last name for Zack. Ames- (French.) ...a friend, beloved; to some origins a burden. I thought it was kind of Zack-ish. Feel free to review with your thoughts.

Chapter 2 is done, i just need to edit it. It will be up soon.


	2. The stranger

2. The Stranger

"I Just don't know about him anymore Aeris. Everyday it seems as if he's getting worse. Just today he made our whole Platoon run through the whole city, and I simply told him to take a break and he exploded on me..." Zack paced back and forth in the old church observing the yellow flowers in the path way. Aeris truly was an enigma. Never before he met her had he seen such beauty in the city.

"Watch your step Zack."

Zack looked down and saw a yellow flower now trampled under his boots. He backed up and stood on the worn wooden floor. "Sorry. Didn't realize I was steppin' on them."

Aeris planted a few more seeds and stood up. "It's alright. Have you ever thought that maybe he is not the type that likes constant attention? Do you think that is why he is getting short with you these days?" Aeris saw the distant look in his eyes and felt concerned.

"No. He's always put up with me...I even got him to smile once. Now he's threatening to kill me if I even talk to him. He even left the platoon with me and marched off! I think there is something on his mind, and it just nerves me because it's pointless to get him to talk!" Zack kicked one of the fallen wooden ceiling boards.

Aeris grasped his shoulder and he slowly turned to meet her face. "I'm sorry Zack. I didn't know you two were so close."

"Heh. It's alright Aeris. At least I have you. I don't exactly know what I'd be doin' now if I didn't have you." He gave her a mischievous smile and picked her up, twirling her around and around.

"He, he, he! Stop it Zack! Stop! You're making me dizzy!" She giggled and held on to him for dear life.

"Oooh, okay." He reluctantly set her back down. She kept her firm hold on him to balance herself, her face wearing a big smile. He loved it when she used him for support. He pulled her close to his body and she wrapped her arms around his neck. They swayed back and forth as if there was some kind of sweet melody echoing in the walls of the long abandoned church.

"Do you hear the steady rhythm of the music, or is it my heart singing out to you?" He whispered in her ear. She was like cradling an angel. The look on her face was priceless. It was as if she were in a fantasy. A content smile carved into her lips as she leaned her head against his chest where his heart beat, and closed her eyes.

In a nearly low whisper she told him, "I love you Zack."

He felt his blood rush to those very words. The heart she was listening to was probably 10 beats faster than it had been before. He wanted to marry this girl. He wanted to share a future with her for the rest of his life. She loved him, and gods, he loved her.

"I love you too, Aeris. More than anything." He rested his chin atop her hair. It smelled of Vanilla or jasmine.

Her grasp around him tightened and he returned the grip to her. They held each other for what seemed hours.

Suddenly realization kicked him in his black spiky head.

"OH SHIT! SHIT! SHIT!! Aeris!! How long have I been here?!"

She didn't understand why all of the sudden he was so shaken up. "You've only been here about an hour and a half, why?"

"Sephiroth gave me orders to take the Platoon back to the barracks. If they aren't back there by the time he gets there, I am in a shit load of... shit!"

He grabbed his sword and dashed to the door of the church, quickly backtracking to Aeris to kiss her goodbye. "I'll see ya soon, okay!"

And he was gone. Aeris shook her head and giggled at the door as if there was an invisible person mimicking Zack's movements. "Sometimes I think he thinks his job is more important, but I can't help but fall for his silly quirks." She giggled and went back to her garden and prepared flowers for work.

He had been running for hours now. If he cared, he would have been back to the SOLIDER quarters on the upper plate, to make sure Zack followed orders. He was more concerned about how he was going to murder the president. Sephiroth could easily kill him, but then all his devotees, including Hojo, would strike him down in the process. He may have been stronger than Hojo, but that damned professor had toxins in his lab that could kill nearly anything, even the Mako enhanced general himself. He'd have to convince people that the president wasn't in fact trying to make their lives better, but trying to make nothing more than a profit from them to fit his personal needs and ambitions. It was because of him the city remained dark, polluted and poor. All the SOLDIERS would be on Sephiroth's side, but his SOLIDERs vs. the whole city would be a pretty bloody battle, and he did not want that. He didn't want to repeat another Wutain War. Then a thought crossed his mind.

The President's birthday was coming up. He always gave presidential speeches and had huge parties on his birthday. He would invite Sephiroth to the party. He always did. That's when he'd take care of business. Hojo didn't make public appearances and he could kill anyone else who got in his way. It was perfect. It would be spontaneous. It would be Shinra's birth date, and his death date. An evil grin crept across his lips.

Sephiroth slowed his pace and gradually started walking. People who passed him by looked up at him in deep respect and awe. That is how it should be. No respect should be paid to Shinra at all. He observed the area. He was in Sector 5. Sector 5 was known for Hell houses, thieves and poor people who lived in pipes. There were puddles underneath his boots from the run-off of the upper plate. The upper plate had gotten bad rainy weather that day. There were days when people up there could see a hint of sunshine through the smog that was the sky. But these people down here only got the scraps that ran off underneath the table and a big plate for a sky. The air was muggy and the smell gave him a headache. It smelt of rusted metal and human wastes. He needed to get out of here. This was definitely no place to gather thoughts.

Just as he was about to turn to leave, a hint of light shone out the corner of his eye. He fully turned around to see natural light coming from a direction towards the east of the area. Ignoring everyone's gazes, he walked over to the source of light. Following the path, he came to a colorful house, radiant with sunshine and planet life. The thing he noticed next caught his attention. A garden that contained flowers of many colors covered the dull ground as far as he could see. There were pinks, yellows, reds, purples and even colors he never knew flowers could be. He never in his life had seen such beauty in Midgar, even living on the top plate. It must have been an area at the edge of the plate where no smog attacked it; either that or some kind of unknown force was causing these things to grow, and the air to be fresh. The air felt invigorating and a soft breeze radiated from the plants. It whipped his hair back and he found himself going near the garden, whether anyone was in that house watching him or not. He touched the flowers to make sure that they were indeed real. He picked one from a long stem and plucked the petals off and watched them flutter to the ground.

It truly looked like a painting he'd seen somewhere. He just couldn't pin point where. As much as he wanted to take a few with him to remind him that there was life somewhere in this city untouched by that vile bastard, he didn't want his SOLIDERS to think he was some kind of Nancy-boy who collected flowers. He walked up on what looked like a homemade ramp that barely held his weight and studied the daisies growing from there. He felt rejuvenated. He sat down with his knees folded to his chest and meditated. The scent of the flowers were filling his nose, intoxicating his mind. He'd never forget the smell. It was so sweet and unfamiliar. For a moment, albeit a short one, he forgot his troubles and drifted into oblivion.

* * *

"Wow. That is weird. Where is Sephiroth? Usually he is on my tail for my every mistake."

Zack was now at the barracks, showing the platoon where to bathe, where to get wash uniforms, etc. It was not a job for one man to do, but his help was missing. He figured as soon as he opened the door, Sephiroth would be standing at the door waiting to impale him on his blade, but he was nowhere to be found.

"Lt. General Ames, Sir, Will General Sephiroth be returning?" A spiky Blonde haired guy asked.

"Call me Zack. You only have to address me formally when the big guy is around. I don't know _where_ he is at the moment actually, and I do not know when he'll be back." Zack scratched his head. In the time he was spending waiting for Sephiroth to return, he could be kissing Aeris and talking about his future.

"What do you need him for anyways?"

"Oh nothing. I was just going to ask for a challenge. For Weapon practice."

Zack inwardly laughed. "Are you sure you want to do that? The General doesn't go lenient on anyone. One missed move, you would be butchered meat and he wouldn't care." Zack did some squats. "Hmmm... You could always practice with me. I'll go easy on you if ya want."

The Blonde smirked. "Alright, but please don't go easy on me. I'll never learn to fight hard if you treat me like a woman."

"Deal.—What is your name again?" Zack was never good at remembering names.

"Strife. Cloud Strife. Don't forget it!" A confident smirk perfectly described his facial expression.

"RIIIGHT. Well Strife. Let's begin. Only weapons. No Materia. Not even curative materia. You will only be inclined to use your weapon. It is both your offense and your defense. If you don't know how to use both, you are in deep dog shit."

"Ooo-kay."

Cloud pulled out his sword and took battle stance. Zack drew out his "Buster Sword" and took a similar stance.

"Not bad, Strife. You musta been watching." Zack circled Cloud and gave a quick swipe. Cloud blocked it with the flat of his sword.

"I learn quickly." Cloud growled as he pushed himself up and plunged his sword at Zack, only to be blocked by his wide sword.

* * *

Every strike Cloud took, Zack averted and swiftly countered.

"Damn! So that's why that sword is so fucking big!" Cloud had always wondered why the buster sword was so wide. Now he knew. It could serve as shield also.

If it were a real battle, Cloud would have been dead a long time ago, but Zack didn't care. He was having fun being easy on him. By the time Cloud had become so out of breath he couldn't pick himself up, Zack came up to him hardly sweating and gave him a fake stab.

"AHHHH you were killed! I win, I win, I win" Zack was doing a little victory dance that looked a little like the Funky Chicken. Other SOLDIERS in the barracks watching them fight started laughing at his little dance.

Defeated, Cloud shook his head at the dancing General.

"Ah, I'll get better. I'll get as good as you, if not better!" Cloud picked himself up and put away his sword. He was not offended by the other's laughing. He was actually brave to challenge a General—something most of them wouldn't dream of yet.

All those years practicing paid off. He had just left Nibelhiem a year ago to join SOLDIER and become someone. His mind thought of that one girl who made him do this. That one girl was popular, and hardly noticed him. Maybe if he got famous like Zack or even Sephiroth, he could make her notice him. He would befriend Zack and learn from him. It was the best thing he could do. Reach out above the rest and aim for the best.

"Hey Zack, you think you could give me a few pointers on bushido strategy?"

Zack was amused. The first Solider to ever want to learn from him and not Sephiroth. Of course he would.

"Sure dude. We'll practice more when we are off duty, though. If Sephiroth knew we were fighting in the barracks, he'd wet his panties."

"Good. Well I'm going to hit the showers...again. I got a pretty good workout from that and I stink now."

"Ight. See ya dude."

* * *

It was getting late by Aeris' watch and she hurriedly walked home. There was even more danger out in the slums when people weren't around to stop it. As paranoid and scared as she was, she would not quit her job of being a flower merchant just because she was afraid of the dark. Even though the plate blocked the sky view, one could tell it was starting to get dark. The gray atmosphere slowly got darker. She wanted to make it back home before the pitch black set in and all the evil faces crept out.

When she came up to the door of her house, her mother hurled her in the door way, hand covering her mouth, totally shocking the flower merchant.

From her mouth in Elmyra's hands, escaped a muffled yelp.

"Shh... if you say something, he'll know we live here." Elmyra slowly removed her hand from Aeris' shocked face.

She silently shut the door and led Aeris to the window. Her voice was a whisper. "Look in your flower garden."

Aeris shot her an accusing glance then headed to the window. She jumped back in shock. "MOM! How long has he been here? Has he seen you? Are you alright? Why is he here? He wasn't looking for me was he?"

"Slow down Aeris. I can only answer one question at a time. He has been here since this afternoon, and no he has not seen me. I saw him approaching the house, and immediately hid whenever I recognized who it was. Besides, he didn't look like he was coming to talk. It looked like your garden was his purpose for coming here. He picked up your flowers, child. He looked at them like he's never seen them before. He scared me half to death. I silently went to get the pepper spray, just incase, but by the time I found it, he was asleep. I don't know if he expected to fall asleep here, or what. All I know is I'm not going to sleep well with the infamous Shinra General sleeping in your garden."

"It's alright Mom. I'm sure he'll be gone without bothering us. Zack said he wouldn't kill anyone unless they provoked him."

"Heh. I wonder what his definition of 'provoke' is." Elmyra glued her eyes to the window, making sure the General in her daughter's garden didn't move a muscle.

"Mom. As long as we stay out of his way, we'll be all right. Go and get some sleep. I'll keep watch." Aeris hoped Zack told the truth about Sephiroth, because if he didn't and Sephiroth decided to waltz into their house and murder them, Aeris would come back from the dead just long enough to castrate him.

"Are you sure dear?" Elmyra was hesitant to leave, but once Aeris made up her mind, she didn't change it.

"Yes, Mom. Goodnight." She kissed Elmyra on the cheek and returned to the window. She smiled at the slumbering man surrounded by her special flowers.

He didn't look as vicious as Zack described him. Perhaps it was because she had never seen him in action. She wanted to get a better view, but she was afraid of him. Zack said he always wore a frown. He was right about that. Maybe he did it so much, his face molded to that expression. It was quite hard for her to think of how bad life could possibly be to permanently wear a frown. He had the wealth, the respect...Was it respect, or was it fear? Her mother was definitely afraid of him. She herself didn't respect him so much, because of all the killing he had done, but she certainly didn't hate him. She had no reason to.

She quietly opened the door to Elmyra's room to find her sleeping peacefully. She closed the door and grabbed her rod that rest on the table just in case she'd need it if he attacked her. Glancing out the window one last time, she made sure he was still asleep. He was, so she went to the door, and silently opened it.

Being deathly quiet, she tiptoed over to her garden. She didn't bother with her boots; the ground she was walking on was soft. That and if she wore them, he would be able to hear her for a mile away. The breath escaping her lips was so faint she could only hear her heart beat. Placing her rod in her hands she walked up to the sleeping form. When she came within 5 feet of him, she quietly placed the rod down and walked up to him. His face was placed on his arm, which limply hung over his knees. He was so still he looked like a statue. Aeris slowly knelt down to his level and just stared at him. His features were remarkable. He had not one scar or blemish on his face. His hair looked extremely soft, and faintly glowed in the blue darkness. Tracing the outline of his body with her eyes, she concluded he was way more built than Zack, and definitely stronger judging by the huge sword sitting on the ground next to him. It was twice as long as Zack's Buster sword. She wanted to touch this statue, but was afraid it would come alive and kill her, so she just looked. She noticed a bunched up flower stem in his limp hands, which was missing the petals.

He had drifted into sleep through his meditation. It was the most relaxing meditation period he ever experienced. He was startled though when he heard whispers with his acute ears. He knew people occupied the house, but as long as they didn't try him, he'd leave when everything was peaceful and quiet with no harm done. When the lights had went out, he was about to leave when he heard the door creak open. He sat completely still and pretended to be asleep. Through nearly closed eyelids, he watched the lone figure approach him, weapon in hand. He thought he was going to have to kill the figure, but it stopped and placed the weapon down a few feet away. What he didn't understand, was why the figure, now coming closer, just looked at him. With each closer step he confirmed it was a girl, at least seventeen, with hardly any muscle at all. He wouldn't have to defend himself after all. Though he didn't express it, it startled him when she knelt down in front of him and stared intently. It was as if she were reading his soul. Darkness took away all the colors, but he could tell she had long dark hair and radiant eyes. Her figure was slim, but not bone skinny. She had the features of a classic beauty. The fantasy women in famous paintings. If this was her garden, then she was a woman that only existed in dreams. Was he dreaming?

A/N: I'll stop there. If you haven't begun to realize it, this is going to be an Aeris/Sephiroth story. Hmm...That does not mean Sephiroth is going to be soft and fluffy. The plot still stands. He is still going to try to get rid of Shinra and do things his way...

Feel free to review and tell me what you think. The first chapter was quite boring; I will try my best to not make you yawn while you read it from now on.


	3. The Dead Stem

The creature before her was beautiful. Why did the Planet have to make its most beautiful creatures have such hideous hearts? She sighed in defeat. More than anything, she wanted to prove Zack wrong about this man. There was good in everybody, regardless of what grief their lives inflicted upon them. She wanted to know why his smile was trapped behind that frown... why he had a 'fetish' for killing, as Zack called it.

Aeris knew how annoying her boyfriend could be. Why did he refrain from killing Zack? She remembered the talk Zack gave her about how he was the only one would had enough "balls" to talk to Sephiroth like a normal human being. Was that the reason he liked to isolate himself from everybody? Did people treat him like some predator after human blood, not realizing he too possessed feelings? He knew how to hide them remarkably well.

There was so much she wanted to understand about him; her curiosity had her mind lost in an unsettling current. That curiosity was what sailed her out to sea, and anchored her body next to his. She reached a hand out as if to touch him, but quickly yanked it back. She was afraid of him. That fear prevented her ship of curiosity from finding its way; if she were to wake him, he'd probably kill her, confusing her for a bandit.

She stood up from her kneeling position, and lifted her head to look above. If there had been stars visible through that black hunk of metal, she'd be wishing on one to give her the courage to wake him up and get to know him past his dark exterior. She surely _wanted_ to; she wanted to treat him like the human he was; moreover, treat him as friend. He would probably mistake her friendship for pity, but maybe that was what she was feeling for him. She couldn't shake the oddity; it was in her nature.

She looked down at him again and shivered.

Deep down, there was even an attraction. She couldn't prevent the pressure of her heart racing, the jolt of energy that singed up her spine or the uncontrollable tremble of her fingertips even if she desperately tried. It was something she had not felt with Zack; it was powerful...nearly uncontrollable.

But she'd never act on her feelings for the sake of her beloved. He was her everything; the only person besides Elymra that understood her. It was best if she left before she became entranced by the figure slumbering in front of her. Not only was she in great danger, she did not want to do anything she'd regret. That was enough to convince her to retire to her undisturbed bed.

Softly treading back to the house with her sleeping mother, she cast one last glance at the man. He looked so concentrated. She smiled at him unconsciously, like a mother would a sleeping child, before soundlessly picking up her weapon and returning to her house. If she was as stubborn and determined as everybody said she was, she would find a way to understand him; even if it meant putting herself in a little danger...Or a lot.

* * *

When the door of the house closed, he knew she had decided to leave him. She had probably been afraid of him like everybody else, but who wouldn't be with a reputation like his. He relished that smile she had given before leaving. What had she been thinking? Part of him wanted to run as far away from this girl as possible for taking all his concentration, but the other part wanted to chase after her and never let her leave. He wanted to tell her to wait...Just to wait for a brief moment so he could ask her if she could really make such beauty in a corrupt world; however, the lump in his throat blocked all words from being heard. He could not remember the last time he felt so...nervous. His palm that held the bunched up stem was wet with sweat, and flames filled his chest, trailing down his limbs, paralyzing his body. He was actually glad he did not move or he'd take her down with his desire for more.

Coming out of the trance, he slowly lifted his head and fully opened his eyes. The strain from keeping them half lidded was starting to give him a headache. Either that or it was his uncertainty. He did not know how to handle these feelings; they were new to him. There was no solution he could think of to extinguish the fire that burned within him. It aggravated him. This would not come between him and his plans. These sentiments were the last thing he needed.

Jumping to his feet, he brushed the fertile soil on his backside away, then quickly equipped the masamune to his belt. A reluctant sigh escaped his mouth. He wanted to stay in this place forever, but for some reason life would not go on in his absence. He figured that out when the wounds he had inflicted upon himself healed before they were given the chance to bleed. He felt trapped in his own body...trapped in his life. As much as he wanted to forget, he was also trapped in his memories.

He made his way out of the flower sanctuary, leisurely taking in the night-tainted view of Heaven once more, before entering through Hell's gates. His empty hand pushed back the silver bangs that hung loosely over his eyes, while his other cradled the dying naked stem. Walking through the slums there were voices of angry men, accompanied by screams of frightened women. There were guns being fired in which ever direction followed by agonizing cries for mercy; however, the tall figure dressed in black did not hear it; the high volume of the cacophony in his mind drowned the sound into a muffled whisper.

It had only been moments, but he had already wanted to see her again. He wanted to know her voice. That ghost of a girl haunted him. It angered him that he was so interested in some mystical woman. The feelings, _everything_ about the way she taunted him angered him. All these mixed feelings gave him an urge to kill something; however, he would refrain for now. He wanted all his pent up hostility to stab Shinra right through the gray of his heart.

The night was quickly fading. Sephiroth had made his way to the upper plates and walked around the empty streets, hands placed in his leather trench coat. Still, he never let go of the fragile stem, even with pockets to catch its fall. The noise his boots made against the damp, stone ground echoed with each unhurried step. It was quiet on the top plates; the living conditions were better, and residents occupying these areas would be too busy to interact with one another other, much less stay out in the streets in the middle of the night. The only thing that made him noticeable was his hair and his mako eyes; the rest of his black clothed body blended with the empty darkness.

Being rich or poor, one thing in the city did not change no matter where he walked. Pollution. The polluted smell of Mako energy filled his nostrils, causing him to grit his teeth in disgust. Midgar and Sephiroth had something in common; they were both contaminated by Mako past the point of no return. It made them wear a mask of lifelessness. Perhaps that is why the girl and her garden touched him so. He had never felt alive until he walked onto that Holy ground; it was the only 'foreign' soil not covered by blood, death or pollution. Other than revenge for taking his life from him, maybe that was the other reason he wanted to put an end to the Shinra. If he were to put end to all use of Mako... put an end to the source of all his troubles, maybe he'd be able to break from the cage life locked him in. But when he did put an end to it, would he even care about the people? He would be cutting all their source of power, taking away thousands of jobs, and blowing up their homes...that was to put it mildly. He didn't know how many he'd have to kill before people started listening to him.

They already feared him; why not use their fear to fit his needs? To tell the truth, he'd probably enjoy every bit of their suffering. Those people were dependent on the poison like it was their source for living. It made him sick how they respected that bastard so much. If only they knew what went on behind closed doors; like how he has his disturbed scientists inject innocent boys with mind corrupting poison without their consent, or how Shinra _orders_ his "favorite" General to nuke nearly entire populations during war because they refuse to have Mako processors built on their land. That was not the half of it. In the end, because he followed orders, Sephiroth got the reputation for being the cold-hearted, apathetic killer. It used to affect him; he'd pace in his office looking out the window wondering why people could not look him in the eye, or speak clearly without stuttering. With time he learned to live with it and abide by his reputation. There was only one person he could think of that did not treat him like a lifeless machine. That was Zack.

It did not matter how blunt and callous he was to that man. Zack simply did not fear him like the rest. At first he wanted to kill the boy, for being so brave with his words and actions, but he couldn't. Zack actually treated him like a human. That bravery gained him the only respect Sephiroth could possess in others. Yes, there were moments when he wished a monster would come and eat him, such as the time when he convinced him to "hook" him up with Zack's girlfriend at the time, Lila's, friend. To save later whining from Zack, he gave her a chance. It was one moment that stuck out in his mind, even if it weren't pleasant.

* * *

_It was a gloomy day in February, approximately four in the afternoon. The Café the four had ended up in was not very busy, but popular with SOLDIERS. They had decided to take a booth in the back left corner where the artificial light didn't shine directly over them. Sephiroth requested this because he desperately tried not to look at the woman. There was something on her face that he couldn't stop staring at disgustedly. Zack sat across from Lila, forcing Sephiroth to sit across from the 'Whole eater' as he called her. He tried desperately to look away from that thing on her face, but it seemed to have a "LOOK AT ME!" sign written on it in bright colors. She and Lila had started looking over the menu, and Sephiroth found himself looking at her like some kind of rodent._

_When Zack caught him staring at her oddly and disgustedly, he nudged him._

"_Hey, you alright, you look like you just bit a chunk out of Shinra's ass."_

_At the sound of Zack's voice, he shook his head, breaking the trance, and acknowledged him. He wanted more than anything to say 'probably because I'm looking at a fragment of Shinra's ass' but he choked on his words and all that came out was, "I am fine." _

_When the waiter came and got their orders, the women walked off to the bathroom, leaving the two SOLIDERs to themselves. Sephiroth immediately lifted his hands as if to choke Zack, but he ended up slamming the table. _

"_Is this some kind of joke?!" Sephiroth was a notch below shouting._

"_What? I though you were having a good time. Don't you like Betty? I think she likes you..."_

"_Zack, I would not call an evening staring at a whole eater with a mole the size of the Planet a good time! The thing is practically staring at me! I tense up just looking at it—her! I can't say anything to her in fear that that mole will do something ineffably destructive!" _

_Zack saw Sephiroth's wide eyed expression and how his hands were balled in fists pressed firmly on the table, nearly denting it. His breaths were short and quick and Zack swore there was steam coming out his ears. He started laughing hysterically, causing the already tense man to become red in rage. _

"_HA! HA! HA! HA! Heh, heh, heh. I guess it is a bit big, eh? Were there any hair sprouting outta it?" Another fit of laughter broke out, and Zack struggled to catch his breath._

_Sephiroth noticed the girls walking back from the bathroom giggling and nudged the shoulder of the cackling man. "You'd better compose yourself Zack, here they come."_

_Zack straightened his face and a toothy smile remained. "Hey Lila." He nodded, "Betty." He snickered._

"_Hairs out of what? What's so funny?" Lila asked sitting back down in the booth, Betty following her in it._

_When Zack caught site of Betty, he once again started laughing hysterically. Whether he realized it or not, Sephiroth gave a closed grin, turning his head to look away from the confused girls. _

_Being into his fit of laughter, Zack couldn't find any words to speak, so Sephiroth responded for him. "I was just telling him about some Whole Eater I came across the other day."_

"_Oh. Can you share it with us?!" Betty asked now fluttering her eyes at him._

_Sephiroth winched unnoticeably, and waved his hands out in front of him. "Perhaps some other time. Please understand it's a long story and I do not want Zack to keep laughing like this." He struggled to look away from the blemish, but when he locked his vision on it, a wide grin came on his face. He quickly lowered his face and his gloved hands covered his expression._

"_Well if it's that hilarious, why did you wait until we were gone to tell it?" Lila had a look of suspicion in her eyes. _

"_With all due respect, ma'am, I didn't think me talking about its horrific anatomies would be very kosher at a moment like this." _

"_Tee hee! Call me Lila, Sephiroth!" Lila looked at Zack who was literally red as a tomato still struggling to get air in his lungs. "Zack! Are you alright? Everybody is looking at you like you have lost your sanity." _

_Zack raised his head, still clutching on his stomach. "Sorry Emily...That mole eater story was hilarious."_

_Sephiroth suddenly lifted his head when he heard what Zack had said. Luckily Lila or Betty didn't notice the "Mole" eater slip, however, they did notice they way he called her Emily. _

"_Umm...Zack...my name is "Lila" not "Emily" There is no 'Emily' in my name at all." _

_Quickly Zack stopped laughing and tried to cover for his mistake. "Oh.. Well I thought Lila was short for Emily... you know, Emily...Lila...Same difference." He scratched the back of his head._

_Lila was getting angry. "Well if it's the same difference, why did you bother calling me that other name in the first place?! I don't think Emily is anything close to Lila. There's someone else isn't there!?" Lila stood up, drawing attention from every corner of the café._

"_Uh..." Zack turned his head to Sephiroth, who was giving him the 'you did it now' eye, and quickly went back to Lila. "I didn't mean it like that ...AND NO! There is no one else! I swear!" _

"_Yeah right Zackary. I knew I should have listened to my friend when she called you trouble!" _

"_Yeah, well maybe if you'd not rely on your friends to find your boyfriends, maybe you'd be able to figure stuff out on your own." Zack quickly bit his tongue, but he had said enough._

_She slapped him in the face then looked at Sephiroth. "I hope you two have a wonderful dinner. I'm not hungry anymore. Com'on Betty!"_

"_Uhh okay, Lila...Bye Sephiroth!" She quickly wrote her number down on a napkin. "Call me, 'Kay!" She rushed after the furious Lila, winking at him before she followed her out the door. _

_Looking after her as she left, Sephiroth finally made his conclusion._

"_Women are nothing but a waste of time. I honestly don't understand why you dedicate so much time to them, only to get slapped in the face." Sephiroth got out of the booth and stood. His legs were cramped from sitting so long. "But I AM glad you found some way to end this evening." He took his fire materia and burned the napkin with her number on it. "Sorry Betty, but I have enough monsters after me already."_

_When the ashes floated to the floor, Sephiroth looked at Zack, who was already standing doing squats. He didn't understand why Zack had a habit of doing squats, but it was terribly annoying. He narrowed his eyes at him with an evil glare. Zack didn't seem to notice. He had a one-track mind._

"_These women up here are too stuck up. I'm gonna go look in the lower sectors for a woman who will respect me."_

_Sephiroth smirked. "Heh. The only difference will be that they all live off of and eat their trash."_

_

* * *

_

Judging how content Zack was now with his new girl, he must have been wrong. There was a difference. He had seen it himself earlier on in that garden. Maybe that was where all the people not blinded by Shinra's foolish games were. They were just confused with their unprivileged and poor living conditions. They had to do something to live, even if it WAS to eat their own trash and steal or murder one another.

Before he knew it, it was at the door of Base housing, where he had told Zack to take the SOLDIERS. The main entrance was spacey and had mailboxes tacked to the walls. Typing in his code, the safety lock came open with a "click" and he took the massive amount of mail out. He knew they'd all be asleep, so he silently walked down the hallway. SOLDIERS were four to a room, but Sephiroth and Zack had rooms of their own. Zack's was at the end to the left, and Sephiroth's was at the right. When he got to the intersection, he saw that Zack's door was wide open. He looked inside and seen Zack slumped over in a chair snoring louder than Sephiroth ever heard. '_Must have been waiting up for me I see.' _

Walking in to put a halt to the noise, Sephiroth was about to take the butt of his sword and knock Zack out, but then something else caught his attention. To the left of his desk, beyond all the paperwork, was a yellow flower. It looked just like the ones he had seen in the garden. It had a black pen holder for a vase, filled with water as if he were trying to keep it alive. It had started to wilt, but it was still clearly elegant.

Opening his hand, observing the flowers, he confirmed it was one of those from that girl. _'Now I see why Zack is so content...'_

He could not deny the jealousy or the envy, but he hid it away. He quickly walked out of the room leaving the dead stem on Zack's desk. Maybe he'd figure out where he had been...Sephiroth smirked. He walked across the hall and went into his room, gently closing the door.

Remember his mail was still in his hand, he searched it. Most of it was missions or strategy requests, but one caught his eye. It was what he had been waiting for. Ripping the red ShinRa seal to the letter, Sephiroth pulled out the small piece of paper with black fine print.

_General Sephiroth. _

_If you are not aware, President Shinra's 67th Birthday Celebration is going to be held within 4 days. You are cordially invited to attend this gracious event. Many important visitors will be attending this party, so we ask that you come dressed formally, unequipped with weapons. You may bring only two guests to prevent congestion. _

_We hope you can attend._

_Sincerely,_

_ShinRa, Inc._

No weapons. That would mean he'd have to do it stealthy. If he were to go in there with a weapon, they'd immediately know something was going to happen. He paced through his room and decided he would in fact need his SOLDIERs. Especially Zack. This was definitely going to be a difficult mission. And after he succeeded, it was going to be even more difficult.

AN: There is chapter Three. If it sounds like someone else's it purely coincidental. I have no desire to copy off of other's work. Give it a chance. I think it will be different. If it does end up sounding like someone else's work, let me know and I'll change it ASAP. I apologize if it is going too slow. It will pick up, I promise. Thank you very much for taking the time to read and review it. You don't understand how much it means to me. It brightens my whole day when I get good feedback! ï 


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